About Writing

Excellent answers to burning questions about who, what, where and why of writing ... even if you're not a writer to begin with.

Green, Chuck. Creative Latitude (2005). Articles>Writing

Beyond Graphic

Today's graphic designer has moved beyond graphic. The term 'graphic' fails to accurately describe our profession to the business community and the public. We should consider replacing it with a more relevant, accurate description of what we do today. Why?

Saldanha, Errol. Creative Latitude (2004). Articles>Graphic Design

Blogs, Podcasts and All That Stuff

I think podcasting is powerful because it gives us the opportunity to reach people in ways we cannot with blogs and websites. Don't get me wrong, blogs and sites have their place. But let's face it, people have information overload! It's often a choice between reading your blog and the 15 other things they need to read. But with podcasts, people tell me that they listen via their iPods while in the gym. They burn them to CD and listen in their car during their commute. They listen on their computer with a headset or speakers.

Morley, Catherine. Creative Latitude (2005). Design>Web Design>Multimedia>Podcasting

Crafting the Perfect Proposal

Proposal are also the cause of a great deal of anxiety for many creatives--especially those new to the industry. They're usually not on the list of most creative-related classes in school. But, fear not, oh ye creative bethern. I'm going to take you step-by-step and show you how it's put it together.

Tortorella, Neil. Creative Latitude (2004). Careers>Graphic Design>Proposals

Gaining Insight and Inspiration from Veteran Designers

As a designer, there are days when it's tempting to just churn out something that looks nice, without any thought given to the creative process. To keep a fresh outlook on our work and maintain a true sense of purpose, we have to keep up our educational process. A designer should never lose his or her passion for learning.

Farrugia, Ruth. Creative Latitude (2005). Articles>Graphic Design>Mentoring

Networking that Works

Established business owners and new entrepreneurs often have a difference of opinion about networking. The old-timers usually say that networking is one of their most important sources of business, while the newcomers frequently claim to put a lot of effort into networking without seeing much return. What's going on here?

Hayden, C.J. Creative Latitude (2005). Careers>Collaboration>Community Building

The New Email Law and You

If you are using email to market your small business, here's what you need to know about the new spam law, the CAN-SPAM Act, which went into effect on January 1st.

Benun, Ilise. Creative Latitude (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Email

Punctuation, Punctuation, Punctuation

A light touch with punctuation has always made sense, whether you're scratching out a sonnet on velum with a quill pen, or texting a mate on your mobile. It's meant to enhance communication, not hinder it.

Caborn, Anne. Creative Latitude (2005). Articles>Writing>Grammar

Ten Ways to Keep and Get Clients

Realistically, it will be impossible to keep every client due to any number of factors; the marketing director you've worked with for years leaves or another design firm offers a 'loss leader' project. While some scenarios are out of your control, many are not and taking a proactive stance can do wonders.

Schultz, Derald. Creative Latitude (2005). Careers>Freelance>Graphic Design

Value of Value-Based Pricing: Should a Creative Professional Charge on an Hourly Basis, or a Project Basis? Here's the Answer

We creative professionals tend to be a right-brained bunch, harnessing our creative talents to create practical solutions for our clients. Creating pricing structures, estimates and invoices are not high on our enjoyment list. But we can avoid some common pitfalls and potentially unhappy clients by pricing our work based on project value rather than an hourly rate.

Stuart, Valarie Martin. Creative Latitude (2004). Careers>Freelance>Graphic Design>Estimating